Delegated Authority

The results are in…

I got an A in Admin Law. . . . .  with my final exam being the only grade I had that was not a perfect score :(  but a 29/30, I survived!  (I have a newfound respect for arbitrary and capricious behavior of administrative agencies!)

Woo Hoo!

One semester down, 43 semester hours to go!

 

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

Since I didn’t quite make it to a “newsletter” this year, I’m going to steal Adam & Megan’s idea of an online newsletter! 

 

Jared graduated high school in May (GO JARED!) then turned 18 in June, and is slowly easing his way into the adult working world. 

 

College is not high on his list at the moment, so he is going to try his hand at a decent job first.  After graduation he spent two weeks with his cousins in California (Hey to Pat & Ang, Clio & Max!) to have a very welcome change of scenery and try to get his thoughts together… While in CA he got to enjoy the company of his cousins and more cousins (Heather & Rob, too) and work on their organic farm, help Pat do some cabling jobs, see some awesome places in California and really add some great life experiences to his portfolio!  When he returned home, he was a huge help to Justin after he got out of the hospital with his broken leg.  We have a lot of stairs in our house and they were impossible for Justin to negotiate for the first couple of weeks.  Jared has been pounding a lot of pavement and putting in a lot of job applications since he’s been home.  We’re looking forward to bright things for Jared in 2008!

Justin has had a crazy year.  He turned 21 in July and in August he bought a Ninja 500 motorcycle. Two weeks later he was hit by an uninsured motorist.  The accident was clearly the other driver’s fault and she was cited and brought to court on charges.  Justin had emergency surgery to repair his broken left tibia 2 days after the accident. 

 

He now is the proud owner of a 15 1/2″ titanium rod now knkown as his calf.  After 4 months of being in a “boot”, December 20th he was released to his shoe for the remainder of his rehabilitation.  He still limps, but is walking less like Frankenstein these days.  LOL!  (He’s SO tall!)  It will probably take the better part of a year before he is fully healed, but he’s happy to be able to wear 2 shoes now!  Justin is still working hard for Easton Utilities as an Internet Technician.  He’s loving his job, and they love him.  He’s received several raises this year and has surpassed the 1 year tenure mark.  Another big change for Justin was that in November he moved back to Salisbury.  He moved in a very nice house with 2 long time friends, Bryan and Travis.  Now he has quite a commute from Salisbury every day for work, but he has never minded the driving, and the job is worth it!  Justin also recently bought a new car, a Honda Accord LXi.  Nice car, great gas mileage!  Things are looking his way! 

Adam is doing very well, working hard as a cold fusion programmer for Perficient, who has recently promoted him to Senior Technical Consultant.  Medically Adam has been put on a Remicade treatment program and is doing very well.  We’re very, very happy for him!  In March, Megan tested and was awarded her LCSW, which is the highest rating for a social worker, short of a medical doctor.  We’re very excited for Megan!  She can now see all kinds of patients in all kinds of settings.  Go Megan!  Adam and Megan spent their 2nd anniversary in Ireland. 

You should pop over to their website and see the awesome pictures!  (Adam really does take some great photos, Megan does pretty good too!)

Perdue has kept Dennis about as busy as any one person can possibly be.  He travels up and down the Delmarva Peninsula at least once every 6 weeks to visit all of his plants/offices and make sure everything is on target.  He is also very busy implementing new ideas and technology in his plants.  He’s definitely leading the way when it comes to keeping Perdue on the technological frontline!  In October he attended “Level 2″ training, (executive level) which was 2 weeks (including weekends) of 20+ hour days working under very stressful conditions.  Naturally he came through with flying colors!  Dennis finally traded in his old Ford Expedition for a lean mean 2007 Ford F-150 Pick-up with 4 doors and the full back seat and all the bells and whistles.  He’s finally got cruise control, which is a blessing when he has to drive all over Delmarva!

I am still extremely happy working at Sonosky Chambers.  We’ve made a lot of headway getting funding for some Tribes and I’ve had the pleasure of meeting so many Chairmen and Presidents this year, its been very exciting!  One of the firms founding partners argued before the Federal Court of Claims, which is just one step below the Supreme Court.  It was truly exciting!  Other than working and commuting, I started taking college courses again in September.  With any luck, I’ll have my bachelors degree in less than 2 years.  It is fun and sometimes grueling, but overall, something that I not only enjoy, but really want to accomplish; my next semester starts on January 23rd! 

Dennis & I managed to make a few quick trips to my parents house in Frederick over the year.  Always enjoying their company, we try to get over there every 6 weeks or so, at least.  Dad & Paula made a few trips out to our house, too :)        The day after Justin was in his accident the Wray’s added yet another on to their list of distinguished progeny.  Ellen (daughter of my brother Don & his wife Irene) and her husband Charlie had a baby boy, William Terrence, on August 21.  William made is family debut at Thanksgiving, thanks to Don & Irene putting on a huge spread at their place in PA and inviting all of us to come party and welcome him to the fam.  It was awesome to see everyone!

In April, Dennis and I went with my sister Janis, & her hubby Warren, to a Washington Nationals baseball game at RFK Stadium in DC.  Dennis and I drove to the nearest metro station and metro’d to the field, which was a treat  :)  On the way home, Dennis and I decided to peruse the car lots and he bought me the perfect vehicle.  Its a Hyundai Tucson, which I totally love.  Its easy on my “old lady” knees and the perfect size.  I don’t think I’ll ever need another vehicle again!

In September Warren and I managed to squeak in just one more Orioles game this season. . . . and we had a blast!  It happened to be the last home game of the season, and they played the Yankees, but hey, it was a gorgeous day, and the ball was good and the company was great! (We won’t mention the score)

Of course, my all-time favorite country singer, Kenny Chesney was in concert this year, so Dennis and I boogied our way up to Lincoln Field in PA to see his 2007 Flip Flop Tour!  It was, of course, awesome!  I do love Kenny Chesney’s music!  Plus, we got the added benefit of sneaking in a visit with Adam and Megan while we were up that way!  A wonderful weekend for sure!

So, that’s about it for our 2007.  Feel free to check out our pictures here!

Hope you all have a very, Merry Christmas and a wonderful 2008!

Dennis, Kitty & Jared

email us at:  k.tuttle.46(at)gmail.com (use the @ sign, of course!)

My grade was posted for the horrifying, traumatizing and depressing writing class I took.  Since December 8, when I took my final exam, I’ve been crossing my fingers hoping I would get at least a C.  Anything less, and I have to take the course again.  After everything I went through for that class, and as hard as I tried, I never, ever, seemed to make that professor happy.  NEVER.  I was more than worried.  I don’t usually have this kind of trouble with classes.  I really didn’t want to take that class again.

I just surfed the College website and saw that my grade was posted for that class.  Holding my breath and mostly covering my eyes, I peeked out and saw my grade:

I GOT AN A

(picture me doing the cabbage patch here!)

On Monday Dennis saw both an Opthamalogist and a Retinologist.  Fortunately they dont believe he has any permanent damage to his eye, tho they did measure the extent of the soft tissue damage he does have and he’ll go back in a few weeks to have it re-measured and make sure it is healing.  With good luck, he should be healed in about 6 weeks and normal vision will return.

The doctors passed on an important bit of information:  they see a LOT of eye injuries/loss due to the use of bungie cords, and think they should be illegal. 

Use adjustable strap tie downs or rope. 

You can bet we will from now on.

It sure has been an eventful weekend for us!

First- On Saturday morning, Dennis and Jared were loading up Dennis’ truck with more of Justin’s furniture to move into his new place and when tying it down, Dennis mentions to Jared “be careful, that (the bungie cord) can snap back and hit you in the face” - so of course, about 2 minutes later, a bungie cord slipped out of Dennis’ hand and snapped back and hit him in his eye.  We are all thankful it didnt actually hit his eyeball (that we can tell, anyway), because it probably would have permanently damaged it, at the very least, and he quite possibly could have lost it.  As it is, he has blood blisters on his eyelid and below his eye, a nasty black eye, and some questionable issues with his vision, which he will have checked by a doctor on Monday. Pretty scary.  We’ve been on WebMd and have been closely monitoring everything, and so far are comfortable with waiting until Monday morning to have it looked at.  (Can you tell I’ve been overruled in this particular decision?)

Second - I got my annual bonus from my firm.  :)  They are very generous, and I think they like me as much as I like them!  Our biggest plans with the bonus this year were first and foremost to buy and install a dishwasher. . .  this wonderful home we own, which was built in 1989 does not have a dishwasher (of the automatic/mechanical type), and we have wanted to put one in for a while, but something always seems to come up; which leads me to this weekends’ event no. 3. 

No. 3 - Our new dishwasher [I will have a picture soon- check back] looks amazingly like a Silver 1998 Honda Accord LXi. . .   Justin’s 91 Honda that we were all hoping would last him another 6 months or a year - died on Friday.  Between Dennis and Justin, a small fortune (aka 3 or 4 times its value) has been put into that old car, and it got to a point where Justin just didnt want to put any more money into the mobile money pit.  I can’t say that I blame him there.  So Saturday Dennis and I went car shopping with Justin and found a good solid used Honda.  Dennis (aka the great negotiator) had the salesman eating out of his hand by the time we left, and got Justin a very fair price for the car, about $1600 below blue book!  Its in great condition, lwas regularly maintained and has low mileage and a warranty.  We helped a little with the downpayment, but he’s buying it and we think its a good choice for him.  It will get great gas mileage now that he’s driving nearly 100 miles (round trip) a day to and from work, and we feel a lot better that it is safer and definitely more reliable.

No. 4 - Moving Justin out… some more.  I finally got to see where my middle child is living.  We took the offending load of Justin’s furniture (see no. 1 above) to his new house.  Its very nice!  He has a nice sized room and is sharing the house with 2 very good friends.  Bryan and Travis have been living on their own for over a year (maybe 2?) so they know the system and the balance that has to be met between fun and bills.  They are also bandmates with Justin, so with the common interests and a full basement to rock til they drop, I’m sure makes Justin very happy!  He moved out of our house the end of November and I think we almost have all of his belongings transfered!  I wasn’t around when they moved the first round of stuff.  A couple trips in one day.  I think that was my final exams day or something.  But I took pictures yesterday, so, lookey here 

Just as a finisher. . .  I ran to the outlets earlier today, in Queenstown, Md, which are about half way between our house and Annapolis, Md.  They are closing my favorite store there.  VF Factory Outlet.  Its kind of a catch-all store, if you haven’t been before.  They sell Vanity Fair, Wrangler, Lee, and a whole lot of other brand names, everything starting at 50% off.  Well, apparently VF isnt “high class” enough for the center it is in, and the owners of the center want classier stores, so they didnt renew the VF lease.  I’ll miss this store for sure.  However, the good part is that right now, in addition to their regularly very good prices, they are taking an additional 40% off . . . which = dirt cheap!!  My kind of sale!  Their last day open is December 24.  That means next weekend, IF there is any good stuff left, it should really be cheap!  I hope to be able to stop by again! 

I think I need a break from my weekend.  Is it Monday yet?

Good news!

Justin saw his orthopedist yesterday who deemed him healing well and said the marrow had started regrowth around the titanium rod nka his calf, and he was allowed to “kick the boot” and grab a cane and start learning to walk — without looking so much like Frankenstein.  (Or maybe that’s Herman Munster I’m thinking of?)  :) 

As a side note- Justin moved out of Mom & Dad’s in November . . .  while he was still wearing the “boot”. . .  and didnt bother to take any LEFT shoes with him, since he hadn’t worn any in 4 months . . . and yesterday, with the good news, realized he had no left shoes in his possession, and had to drive a 2 hour round trip to pick up his left shoes!!  I do believe that makes him his mother’s son. 

One of the best treats I got this week was that amid all the stress and studying and late nights and frustration, on Wednesday night I came home to this:

Jared had decorated the tree - which we usually do together, but obviously, if we waited this year on me, it may never had gotten done.

Didn’t he do a beautiful job?  It sure made my day when I walked in the house Wednesday night after a long frustrating day to see that.  Sure brought a smile to my face!

Thanks Jared!  Great Job!

On Wednesday it Snowed! 

This is outside my office.  So pretty to look at!

Here are a few more photo’s.  I’m no photographer. . .  and they were taken with my cell phone camera. . .  but you get the idea.  (If you want to see professional grade photography, go see Adam’s pics!)

I’m coming out of the haze that has been my life for the past 2 weeks (or possibly longer).  I lived through my first round of final exams.  Yep.  Spent yesterday in Annapolis at the Department of Agriculture for 2 three hour exams.  Then came home and finished the research paper I had put off until I couldn’t put it off anymore (that should make my children proud!).  The paper was due by midnight last night and I hit “send” at 11:13 pm.  Hey ~  I still had 47 minutes!  No sweat!

Without my family and my friends encouragement, I’m not sure I would have made it through.  THANKS!

I’m truly glad to have that first round behind me.  I think the first is the hardest.  So hard to imagine going through all of this after not being in classes for the past 10 years.  But I did it!  53 credit hours to go and I’m done!  Woo Hoo!

Now, on to that 4 week break. . . . . .  . . .

Okay- Adam hooked me up.  Here’s the link to my latest paper that got the “looks like it came from an attorney” (okay, so I paraphrased that) comment from my awesome wonderful professor.  The premise is that I am working for the law firm “Slip, Sliding & Away, LLP”, and I think the rest is self explanatory.

Enjoy :)                   READ ME